SPIRITUAL MATTERS
On The Journey, Judy Bowman Being angry at God
Most of us have been angry with God. We can all recall circumstances in our lives when we’ve been overcome with emotion and directed our wrath to the Lord. We lose a loved one and in our grief we lash out, demanding to know why God would do such a horrible thing to such a wonderful person. We’re caught up in the emotion of our grief and we demand an explanation. We have to find a logical or at least an understandable reason for why this happened. Sometimes, when we’ve calmed down a bit, we look back at our anger with God and we’re shocked and ashamed. We feel guilty for being angry with the Lord. We see our anger as a sin. But, is it really?
Anger is an emotion. It flows out of our humanity and isn’t consciously willed. You don’t get cut off in traffic and “decide” to get angry with that thoughtless driver — your anger is upon you without you thinking about it. If you read some of the Psalms, you’ll soon realize that David was often angry at God. Read Psalm 22. David has an intimate relationship with the Lord and in intimate relationships, you don’t try to hide your feelings from the other person. Honestly sharing your emotions is a key to the bond you share. David couldn’t have hidden his feelings from God if he’d tried. So David owned up to his feelings. He cried out to God in his anger and despair. You don’t encourage trust and intimacy by shrouding your heart. But after David expressed his anger to God, the Psalm show that he didn’t just stay in that wrathful place.
After David genuinely rails at God, he gets it out of his system. He moves on. In Psalm 22, David moves through his anger, to praise. He gets back to his right relationship with God. And isn’t this what happens in our healthy relationships? We get angry with our spouse, we express it, get over it, reconcile, and move on. A friend wrongs us, we hash it out, we work through it, make up and go on with our friendship. The relationship we enjoy with God is like this, too. Sharing our genuine emotions with our Creator and Savior is a great gift and reveals our
“family” relationship with Him. Yes, our anger also reveals our own brokenness and it shows how little we truly understand His love for us. But God knows our hearts and loves us anyway.
In some ways, our anger reveals how much we love God. After all, we reserve our strongest emotions for the ones we love the most. But we can’t allow ourselves to remain in that anger. Emotions like anger, are involuntary. But allowing ourselves to continue in anger is a choice we make. And choices can be wrong. There comes a time when our anger at God does become sinful. David reveals a way for us to move beyond anger and that way is through repentance and gratitude.
The moment we turn our thoughts to all the many blessings of God, our anger turns to sorrow and from sorrow, to praise. Gratitude takes all the air out of our wrath. For me, I move from anger, to tears, to praise. My tears are the sorrow I feel for being mad at the One Who has given me everything. I offer them to Him and He accepts them, over and over again. We’ve been through this before and, sinner that I am, we’ll probably go through it again. That’s how true love works. It’s a journey that is so much deeper than fleeting emotions. I know that God understands my anger and I know as well that He wants more for me than that. Only His grace can heal me. Your anger with God doesn’t surprise Him. He knows you loved your friend who died unexpectedly. He understands the anger you feel at your broken marriage. Don’t feel guilty over that genuine anger. But, like David, don’t make your home in it, either. Let it out and move on. Thank God for all the love you still have in your life and trust Him to give you even more.
“For He has not spurned or disdained the misery of this poor wretch. He did not turn away from me, but heard me when I cried out. I will offer praise…” — Psalm 22:25-26
Glenda Smiley, Pleasant Valley Baptist Church
You are always welcome at Pleasant Valley Baptist. We look forward to your visit. So come and worship with us. You will be blessed and we will too.
Pastor Flood’s message came front Genesis 29 of
God’s Word. Unfavorable situations, ever been there? All of us have probably. The message focused on Leah the wife of Jacob. If ever someone found themselves in an unfavorable situation, no making of their own, Leah did. She was not his wife by choice, hers or his. Jacob had served Laban, Leah’s father, seven years for Rachel, the younger sister. God’s Word tells us Leah was hated by her husband, Jacob. She desired the love and favor of her husband only to be second best never to be first in his heart. It is possible being second best is to be in first place with God. God saw and heard Leah, God loved and blessed Leah. Old Testament women desired to have a son. Leah was blessed to have six sons which became six of the twelve tribes of Israel. All while Rachel, the preferred wife was barren. God can take an unfavorable situation in our lives, regardless of how we got there, and use it for His good and His glory while satisfying our desires. Be sure to read this amazing story as well as listen to this amazing message on our Youtube channel or Facebook.
God looked upon the unfavorable situation of all mankind because of sin. God sent His Son, Jesus. By faith in Christ, God can take our situations and turn them around in order to give us the reward of eternal life with Him. Confess your sin, believe in Christ finished work on the cross for you, His resurrection, and receive Christ into your life by faith.
Continue to pray for members Mike Cross, Denise Pitts, Betty Pitts, Pastor and his family, and all who need our prayers. Pray for our shut-ins, Carolyn Denton and Lula Petty, in hospital. Pray for those who have lost loved ones. Pray for our churches, missionaries, and evangelist. Pray for all of our government representatives, state or federal, who desperately need our prayers. Our country is in desperate need of prayer. Most importantly, pray for souls needing to be saved with time growing short.
Pleasant Valley Baptist continues to practice social distancing with mask wearing being optional. Visit or view our services for encouragement from God’s Word.
Join us Sundays at 11 am and 6 pm for in-person services, Facebook or Youtube. Wednesday night Bible Study, 7 pm Facebook or Youtube, Brother Cody Cranmore.